Bloomberg BHP Billiton Ltd. is assuring shareholders that it’s exploring numerous options for its contentious US shale unit amid pressure from activist investor Elliott Management Corp. to carry out a wider review of petroleum operations. In a series of meetings in Australia last week, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mackenzie stressed to shareholders that the biggest mining company is open to …

Bloomberg Noble Group Ltd. is seeking a strategic investor to drag the beleaguered commodities trader out of what it calls an “incredibly difficult environment.” The company’s market value has shriveled by more than $1 billion this year as the Hong Kong-based firm reported a first quarter loss, S&P Global Ratings flagged a risk of default and Fitch Ratings Ltd. cut …

Bloomberg Japan’s jobless rate remained at the lowest in more than two decades last month, and retail sales rose from March, climbing for a fourth month. Highlights of Data Retail sales rose 1.4 percent from March, and were up 3.2 percent compared to April last year. The unemployment rate for April was 2.8 percent, the same as the forecast. Household …